Digital News Report – The organization Autism Speaks was on NBC’s ‘Today Show’ because April is National Autism Awareness Month. Autism is estimated to affect 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys.

The ‘Today Show’ showed a family living with autism, and how the mother has become an attorney to help others with autism get the services that they need.

Five years ago today they launched the Autism Awareness on the ‘Today Show.’

The problem wasn’t just in the United States, but realized that it was a worldwide problem. They went to the United Nations and is now recognized worldwide.

Researchers don’t know what causes autism. Before Autism Speaks started there wasn’t research going on for the autism. The organization have helped raise funds for research, one of the members interviewed on the show said there wasn’t any research into the understanding before that time.

There isn’t health insurance coverage for autism for many of the states. The organization is rallying for state bills which are trying to get coverage required for health insurance policies for autism. It can be extremely expensive to get the help that the child needs. There is a critical period between 2 and 6 years that school districts should be more willing to work with the autistic children at this time frame, but often times they say the parents send them to private schools that are designed for autistic children developmental needs. The said on the show that they are hoping that schools will be more willing to develop the early intervention programs that these children needs.

To learn more about autism and the Autism Speaks organization you can visit their website at http://www.autismspeaks.org/